The Other Girl
by JSBTheDeadLine
Summary: When Ianto meets and befriends a young, pretty and kindly woman Jack is not best impressed. He seems to have something against this woman he claims to not know, but why? Is there a reason or is it simply just jealousy?
1. Chapter 1

**The Other Girl**

**Chapter One**

It had all started late one November evening, it was a Friday night and the streets of Cardiff Bay were buzzing with life; young teenagers hanging out and drinking, business men laughing and joking around a table and families settling down for a peaceful, family meal.

Ianto Jones sat alone in the far corner of a local bar, he felt very out of place in his smart, expensive black suit among young, pretty women and rowdy men drinking non-stop; the night was only just beginning for them. He took his phone out of his pocket once more, checking for messages, anything from Jack. He had been waiting for almost twenty minutes now and Ianto was getting impatient. He sighed and tucked his phone back inside his pocket then jumped suddenly as he noticed a figure standing over him.

"Easy!" The figure… a woman said, she had a thick Welsh accent and she smiled comfortingly at Ianto as he sighed out in relief. "Little bit jumpy you are!" she commented, "Not waiting for some dodgy dealer, are we?"

Ianto shook his head. "No," he replied, "Just a friend."

She grinned knowingly and winked at him, "Ah, just a friend."

"I- I haven't been stood up!" Ianto replied. 'Jack wouldn't do that' he thought to himself 'Not without a reason'.

"Hey, I didn't think you had!" The woman told him. "I mean, who would stand _**you**_ up?" This comment caused Ianto to blush vigorously, he turned away slightly to hide his embarrassment.

"Sorry, didn't mean to embarrass you," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder, "I'll leave if you like."

"N- No," Ianto replied, turning to face her once more. "Sorry. Just… do I know you?"

The woman shook her head, "Nope" she replied. "But I'm here alone, you've been sat here waiting for the last half hour or so a-"

"Twenty-three minutes," Ianto replied. "Twenty three," he pulled a stopwatch out from under his jacket and showed it to the woman, "Well- twenty four now."

She laughed and rolled her eyes slightly, "You keep that with you always?" she asked. "It's pretty neat, must have cost a fortune."

"Family heirloom," Ianto replied, turning away from the woman once more.

"It's alright," she told him, "I won't pry."

Ianto smiled at her then pointed towards the seat opposite, "You want to join me until my friend comes?" he asked.

"That'd be lovely," the woman replied, slipping into the empty seat. "I'm Rosa by the way".

"Ianto," Ianto replied, offering her his hand. She shook it gracefully and then turned around quickly to wave to the bartender. "A pint of bitter please!" she called, "And what would you like, Ianto?"

"I'm alright thanks," he replied.

"Oh, no! I insist!" Rosa protested.

"Oh, alright then." Ianto said, not wanting to argue, "I'll just have an apple juice please."

"As you wish," Rosa replied. "So," she said, turning back to face Ianto. "Who's the lucky girl then?"

"Sorry, what?" Ianto asked her, confused.

"Well, you're sat here waiting for someone who hasn't stood you up and it's obviously some kind of date, I mean… you're all dressed up, so who is she?" She grinned at Ianto, as he blushed once more.

"It's no-one," he told her.

"Ah, the illusive no-one," she said, suspiciously, raising her eyebrows. "So does this no-one have a name?"

"Yes, infact he does," came a voice from behind Rosa. She turned around to see a tall, handsome and confident looking man standing beside the table. He grinned, pulled a chair over from a nearby table and swung himself casually onto it. "Hey Ianto," he said, taking hold of his hand underneath the table and giving it a squeeze, "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Ianto nodded awkwardly. "Jack, this is Rosa and Rosa-"

"Captain Jack Harkness!" Jack cut in. "I'm Ianto's… boyfriend." He grinned once more especially after seeing the expression on Ianto's face. Ianto was stunned to say the least, Jack hated the term 'boyfriend', he never used it and whenever Ianto had tried to bring their partnership up Jack had always avoided the subject, 'I hate labels!' he had said. Yet here he was, introducing himself to a total stranger as Ianto's 'boyfriend', Ianto knew if he had said that Jack would not have been best pleased which is why this introduction surprised Ianto somewhat. Ianto's expression, in fact, was even more surprised than Rosa's who looked slightly taken aback at first yet regained her composure almost straight away.

"Nice to meet you," she replied. "Mind if I call you Jack?"

"Be my guest," Jack answered, moving out of the way slightly as a waitress arrived with Rosa and Ianto's previously ordered drinks. After placing them carefully on the table, she caught Jack's eye and turned to face him, smiling.

"Can I get you anything, sir?" she asked him, brushing her fringe subtly from out of her eyes.

"I'm fine thank you," he replied, flashing a grin back at her.

"Well, let me know if you change your mind!" she told him, melting inside slightly as he winked at her, causing Ianto to roll his eyes in disdain.

Jack turned back to face Ianto, who had been sitting in silence sipping at his juice slightly whilst Jack flirted. "I'm so sorry I'm late… honey," he told Ianto. "I got really hold up, this thing occurred and well, I had to sort it."

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" Ianto asked, still revelling slightly at the fact Jack had just called him 'honey'.

"I left it at the hu-work," Jack replied, stopping himself slightly as he noticed that Rosa was still sitting there, looking a tad uncomfortable. "Sweetie," said Jack, finishing off his sentence. Ianto raised his eyes slightly; he was very suspicious now… First of all Jack had labelled him his boyfriend, second off he had called him 'honey' and now he was calling him 'sweetie'?

"Right, ur-that's fine," Ianto told him.

"You forgive me?" Jack asked, pouting and clasping his hands together in forgiveness.

Ianto grinned sheepishly; yes… this was definitely Jack. He nodded causing Jack to drop his 'Please forgive me, I love you' expression, and before Ianto could say anything else Jack had leant over the table, put his arm around Ianto's shoulder and had started to kiss him. From the corner of his eye Ianto noticed as the waitress who had served them earlier turned to face their table; her eyes widening and jaw continuing to drop as she noticed the two men, one of them the guy who had flirted with her just a minute ago. Her eyes then flitted over the two men and focused on something else and she shook her head slightly as she noticed Ianto's eyes on her. It was then that Ianto remembered Rosa, feeling guilty he pulled away from Jack and then turned to face her, feeling increasingly bad as she sat slightly apart from the table, staring very uncomfortably into her drink.

"I'm so sorry, Rosa. I…" he started.

"Don't worry about it, really. You just got…" she trailed off also.

"Caught in the moment," Jack filled in. "Tell me about it." He sighed wistfully, and then pecked Ianto on the cheek. "Anyway we've got to go," he told Rosa, picking up his coat and swinging it over his shoulder, "It was good to meet you Rachel".

"Rosa," she corrected him as Ianto smiled apologetically at her. "It was lovely to meet you," Ianto told her. "I mean it."

"I know you do, Ianto," she said, smiling back at him, and then groaning slightly as Jack grabbed hold of Ianto's shoulder and pulled him towards him.

"Come on, honey!" he exclaimed, agitatedly. Waving goodbye at Rosa, Ianto took hold of Jack's hand and allowed him to lead him out of the bar door into the cold winters air.

* * *

"Now, what was all that about?" he asked Jack as they turned the corner and Jack hastily let go off Ianto's hand.

"Who was that?" Jack asked, making it clear that he wasn't willing to answer Ianto's question until Ianto answered his.

"I don't really know," Ianto replied. "Her name's Rosa, we… got chatting."

"I want you to stay away from her," Jack ordered him. "She's bad news."

"Jack, you don't even know her!" Ianto argued.

"And neither do you, now please do what I say."

Ianto sighed; he knew it wouldn't be wise to argue any further with Jack, so stayed quiet… for a few minutes.

"So you'll let me be your boyfriend?" he started "But only when it suits you. And calling me honey… really?"

"Look, I really don't want to talk about this right now," Jack told him. "Another time, okay?"

"Okay," Ianto agreed, not wanting to cause an argument. "Now can I take your hand again, please?" he asked. "'Honey' and 'sweetie' I can live without, but… that was nice."

Jack smiled slightly to himself and then removed his hand from his coat pocket and offered it to Ianto who grinned and took it in his own, and then together the two men walked on through the busy dark streets of Cardiff, blissfully unaware of what the future held for them.


	2. Chapter 2

"Rhys, I've got to go!" Gwen cried, pulling her husband off of her and ducking past him to the front door.

"Can't you pull a sicky?" her husband questioned, running after her in his dark blue, striped dressing gown. "Just this once!"

"You know I can't!" Gwen argued, giving her husband one last kiss on the forehead and then darting out the front door.

"Bye!" she called, closing the door firmly behind her and smiling to herself as she ran down the flat stairs.

Slipping into her car, Gwen remembered a text she had received earlier from Ianto, warning her of Jack's bad mood. She checked her phone to see a reply to her question as to why Jack was in this mood, it wasn't usual for Jack to be in a bad mood, but when he was both Ianto and Gwen knew full well to steer clear.

One new message: Ianto Jones.

The message read "No idea, thought he would have been in a good mood after last night ;) I x"

Gwen laughed and replied back to Ianto saying "I really don't want to know!", and turning the key into the ignition she placed her phone into the glove box and drove off, waving to Rhys as he stuck his head out of the flat window to call goodbye.

* * *

"You're late," Jack announced as Gwen made her way into the hub, the door winding open, Jack's voice startling her before she could even set her eyes upon him. He walked down from his office, his hands burrowed deep into his trouser pockets, frowning slightly at Gwen.

"Sorry about that," Gwen replied. "I can stay a bit later tonight, though, if you like," she told Jack, in an attempt to keep the peace.

"It's fine," Jack mumbled, turning away from Gwen and calling up the stairs, "Ianto, coffee, now!" Gwen flinched – not even a please? That was a bad sign!

It saddened and worried Ianto Jones to see Jack so down and angry. Ianto could always depend on Jack to make him laugh, to tell horridly bad jokes and smile at him no matter what, and frankly when Jack wasn't happy, neither was Ianto. He was determined to find out what had put Jack in such a bad mood yet was wary about approaching his lover, who sat alone in the corner, pouring through paperwork and tapping his fingers repeatedly on the desk.

After a few more minutes of staring at the crestfallen look on Jack's face, Ianto decided it was time to talk to Jack and see if he could get anything out of him, although he highly doubted it.

"Good luck," Gwen whispered, as she walked past Ianto's beloved coffee machine and patted him gently on the shoulder. Ianto nodded and taking a deep breath he walked over towards where Jack sat, grabbing a chair from the other side of Jack's desk and wheeling it closer towards him.

"Jack, what's up?" Ianto asked, his gentle blue eyes full of love and worry. Jack sighed and turned away from the man who cared so deeply about him. He wanted to talk to him, to tell him how he was feeling, but Jack was never one for opening up about himself, he preferred to keep quiet; it was better that way.

"Don't worry about me, Ianto." Jack told him, shaking his head and smiling unconvincingly at the coffee boy, or as he was now known: Torchwood's General Support Officer. "I'm fine."

"Pull the other one," Ianto joked. "It's got bells on…You're not fine," he continued, placing his hand on Jack's shoulder and staring tenderly into his deep, pale blue eyes. Jack opened his mouth as if to speak, and then stopped, drawing his eyes away from Ianto.

"You can tell me anything, Jack." Ianto told him, trying desperately to get something out of him, but Jack wouldn't budge.

Instead he shook his head and stood up from his chair, smiling at Ianto once more he said "Thank you," and then swiftly walked out of the room, leaving Ianto alone at his desk, his head in his hands, wracked with worry.

* * *

Rhys Williams had always loved his job. Of course, he often dreamed of being a top Mi5 agent or a movie star in Hollywood but frankly, he thought that Manager of Harwoods Haulage Company was just enough for him. He grinned to himself happily as the advert for his company came on the radio, and couldn't help but sing along to the words in the jingle, despite the fact he had heard it many a' time before.

As Rhys passed the local hospital he spotted a familiar figure standing near the bus stop, in full uniform, talking precariously to a youth dressed in loose jeans, with his jacket hanging from his shoulders. Chuckling slightly to himself Rhys pulled up outside the bus stop and leant out of the lorry window, observing the scene in front of him.

"Everything alright, PC Davidson?" asked Rhys, in quite a childish tone, as he stifled his laughter at the policeman's frustration.

"Fine, thank you Mr Williams," replied the policeman, or Andy as he was known to his friends. Rhys and Andy though, were not the best of friends: It was common knowledge that Andy had always had a bit of a thing for Rhys' wife aka Gwen, something that Rhys had always found hilarious, less so for Andy.

"Anything I can help you with?" Rhys asked, stepping out of his lorry and upon recognising the young youth placing his hand firmly on his shoulder.

"Alright, Bobby!" Rhys exclaimed, laughing as the teenager groaned.

"Up to mischief again, are we?" Rhys asked.

Bobby turned away from Rhys, scuffing his feet on the ground and avoiding eye contact with both the over-friendly lorry driver and the irritated policeman.

"You know him then, Mr Williams?" Andy asked, sighing as he had been attempting to wrestle Bobby's name from him for the last five minutes.

"Oh yes, everyone knows Bobby!" Rhys replied, rubbing salt unknowingly into Andy's wound. "Right trickster he is. Always up to something, ay Bobby?"

Bobby sighed, and turned back to Andy. "Look, I ain't done nothin'!" He cried, "It wasn't me!"

"What's going on?" Rhys questioned, reaching out and grabbing his keys from out of the lorry, placing them securely into his pocket and closing the lorry door behind him.

"There's been a mugging up Rushmore Street," Andy told him, reluctantly.

"Oh, it can't have been Bobby!" Rhys replied, confidently. "Cheeky young fella' Bobby is, but he'd never do something like that."

"We can't be sure." Andy responded, "We found Bobby around the scene of the crime just after it happened. Now, I don't mean to be rude, Mr Williams, but we're going to have to take him into questioning, so you're going to have to leave."

Rhys nodded, and saluted Andy jokingly then smiling kindly at Bobby he opened up the lorry door once more and stepped inside, placing his keys into the ignition he set off, watching as Andy hustled Bobby towards the nearby police car behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

Like Ianto, Gwen was upset to see Jack how he was that day. He sat alone in his office, sifting through paperwork, a look of discontent and distress upon his face. He was suffering and there was nothing neither Gwen nor Ianto could do that would cheer him up. Because of this the mood in the hub was a bad one; it was no longer filled with the laughter and joy that usually accompanied it but an aura of silence and hopelessness.

Therefore when her phone rang at a quarter past three, Gwen was relieved to have a reason to leave the Hub and its solemn atmosphere behind. The phone call was from a good friend of Gwen's: PC. Andy Davidson. He wouldn't tell her exactly what was wrong, just that he needed her help at the hospital and Gwen was more than happy to abide. Plus it would be good to see Andy again; she hadn't seen him in ages.

* * *

Once Gwen had left, Ianto decided it was about time he spoke to Jack again. Seeing Jack the way he was, was becoming too much to bear for the young coffee boy and he longed to see Jack his usual smiley self again. Placing his coffee cup back in its stand, Ianto stood up and walked through to Jack's office, bracing himself for the worst.

"Ianto," Jack said, nodding in acknowledgement as the anxious and apprehensive man he knew so well stepped into the room. "How're you doing?"

"Not so good," Ianto confessed.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, avoiding eye contact as Ianto's clear blue eyes bore into him.

"I'm worried." Ianto told him.

Jack nodded again.

"About what?" He asked, despite knowing exactly what Ianto was going to say.

"About you." Ianto said, sighing and moving closer towards Jack and away from his office door, closing it firmly behind him.

"Me?" Jack questioned, "Don't be!"

"Jack, you've been down all day." Ianto told him, "Please, just tell me what's wrong."

"Look, it's nothing Ianto!" Jack exclaimed, continuing to avoid eye contact with him, whilst unaware that Ianto knew exactly what Jack's avoidance of eye contact meant.

"No, it's not." Ianto replied, "I want you to tell me what's wrong, Jack. I need you to let me in."

Jack smiled slightly to himself, and then looked up at Ianto, feeling guilty at the look of concern in his eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it." Jack told him, knowing full well that Ianto was not willing to take that excuse for an answer.

"You never want to talk about anything!" Ianto protested, "Jack, you mean the world to me, I tell you everything." He said, "Isn't it about time you let me in? Told me how you feel? I want to help!"

Jack gritted his teeth, aggravated. He knew it was unfair on Ianto to make him so worried all the time, but Jack had so many secrets and he wanted to keep as many of them as possible.

"I keep telling myself," Ianto continued, "That one day… One day I will know everything about you. You know everything about me, Jack, and I know so little about who you really are. I don't even know your real name, for goodness sake! Just please, let me know what's wrong."

Ianto worried that he was going too far, that Jack would grow angry and refuse to talk to him, but if he could find out what was wrong – Ianto knew it would all be worth it.

However, Jack did not reply, he continued to stare down at his desk, his eyes glazed over, as if Ianto wasn't even there.

"I- I'm sorry Jack," Ianto apologised profusely, "I shouldn't have asked. I'm just… worried."

He sighed and turned to face the door, perhaps it was best just to leave Jack to himself.

Jack was determined to keep as much to himself as possible but then again he knew he could trust Ianto with his life (Not that, that was worth much) and wanted Ianto to see that. So in that moment, Jack Harkness decided to do something he very rarely did, let his feelings out and tell Ianto the truth.

"Take a seat," He told Ianto, who stopped in his tracks, slightly taken aback but obeyed immediately.

"Do you remember when I told you about… my daughter?" Jack asked him.

Ianto nodded.

A few months ago, Jack and Ianto had been out for dinner and had ran into a confident but cautious looking woman, who had taken Jack aside and talked to him quite furiously whilst Ianto looked on. She had seemed fairly angry and upset to see Jack and appeared to be reprimanding him on what was supposed to be Jack and Ianto's romantic night out.

Afterwards Jack had seemed awfully quiet and distant, as per usual this had got Ianto worried and that same evening he had asked Jack exactly the same question as he was asking now.

"Well, there's something I left out." Jack told Ianto.

Ianto sighed; this didn't surprise him in the least.

"Alice has a son." Jack admitted, turning away as Ianto's jaw dropped slightly.

"Wow." Ianto muttered, his eyes widening at the news.

He had only just got used to the fact that Jack was a father, let alone that he had even more of a family tree hidden away.

"Do you know what that means?" Ianto asked, regaining his composure somewhat.

"What?" Jack asked, suddenly worried that Ianto would be hurt or bitter at the news.

"You're a grandpa!"


	4. Chapter 4

Andy breathed out a sigh of relief as the familiar black SUV pulled up beside him, he had been waiting for quite a while now and feared that Gwen would never arrive. He was happy to see that Gwen had come unaccompanied though, as there was nothing he wanted less than to be overwhelmed by the whole of the Torchwood Team, specifically a Mr. Jack Harkness.

"What's occurring?" Asked Gwen, as she stepped coolly out from the SUV, smiling compassionately at her friend.

"Good afternoon," Andy replied, allowing Gwen to embrace him at first, and then pulling away quickly as he noticed one of his police colleagues eyeing him up, suspiciously.

"What's going on then, Andy?" Gwen questioned him, setting off towards the entrance of the hospital, with Andy on her tail.

"Earlier today," Andy explained, "We got news of a mugging, down Rushmore. Anyway, the victim's a young woman, about the age of twenty-five. But… I can't really explain it, Gwen. You've got to see it."

Gwen nodded and followed Andy this time, through the Hospital Wards.

"She's unconscious," Andy told Gwen as they eventually strode up towards the last ward on the third floor.

"Be aware that it's… it's quite a sight." He warned Gwen, gulping nervously.

Gwen smiled comfortingly and carefully pushed the door open, wincing as it creaked loudly. Taking a deep breath Andy stepped in after her, watching intently as Gwen began to acknowledge the smell of the room. She crinkled her nose in disgust at the stench that seemed to be coming from the victim's direction, almost choking at the vulgar smell.

"Sorry, I forgot to warn you of that!" Andy whispered, feeling bad as Gwen ducked out of the room to breathe in some fresh air.

"I'm used to it, really." Gwen told him, stepping back into the room, slightly more prepared this time.

She walked slowly and cautiously over to the bed on the other side of the room, as she got closer to the patient the smell became even worse, until it was completely overwhelming Gwen, but she chose to ignore it and instead wandered closer.

The woman lay on her side, so from the angle where she stood all Gwen could see of her was the back of her head. She had long blonde hair which hung loosely around her shoulders, in delicate curls. So delicate that Gwen felt she should not be moving her in anyway, but Gwen was determined to find out what was going on and what was causing that hideous smell that was beginning to force poor Andy out of the door.

Taking hold of the woman's shoulder, Gwen lifted her over and set her eyes upon the woman's face. Stretching from her pale green eyes to the bottom of her chin was a huge bruise, which had turned a bright purple, yet had a green tinge around it. She appeared to have something of a gauge in her left cheek and her right eye was literally black and blue. Although it was not the strangest case Gwen had ever seen, it was certainly up there amongst the weird and not so wonderful. This was, as Andy had labelled it, a simple mugging. The police had caught it on CCTV and although they had been unable to identify the assumed culprit who had been seen running away from the scene wearing a black hoodie, Andy could confirm that said culprit was (as far as he could tell) most certainly human. 'It makes no sense,' Gwen thought.

* * *

After a bit of laughter and light-hearted joking with Jack, Ianto brewed him a coffee and sat down with him, in better humour than he had previously been. This time Jack was ready to open up.

"Today is his birthday." Jack told him, "Steven, that's his name."

Ianto smiled. "It's a good name," he commented. "Have you got him a birthday present?"

Jack's smile faded and he distracted himself slightly by picking up his China coffee cup and tasting the coffee that Ianto had made him so skilfully.

"Ah." Ianto murmured, as he realised now what had been bringing Jack down. "She won't let you see him."

Jack nodded and sighed forlornly.

"Alice knows about Torchwood. She knows what we do, and she knows I don't age." He explained, "She doesn't want Steven to know about our world. She fears if I spend too much time around him, he could become a target, he'd be put in danger, and she's right: I wouldn't want that."

"Plus," he continued, "After a while Steven's going to begin to notice that his… uncle, as I'm known, doesn't age. Alice doesn't want him to suspect anything, therefore I'm not allowed anywhere near her kid."

Ianto sighed also. He knew how much Jack loved children and Jack had often talked to him passionately about how he missed his own childhood, of how it had been so very long ago, so long that he could remember very little about it. Because of this, Ianto knew how much this boy, Steven, must mean to Jack and thus he decided to help him as best he could.

"What do you really want to do?" Ianto questioned him, watching as Jack thought for a few seconds and then said, "Just… get him a birthday present. To show I care, to show I'm thinking about him, but Alice wouldn't like that."

"It's his birthday." Ianto objected, "You're his grandfather, and whether he knows that or not, there's no reason why you shouldn't get him something."

Jack's face lit up at the prospect of buying his grandson something that he could treasure for many years to come, but his joyful expression fell when he thought back once more to Alice and how she would react.

"I can't." He told Ianto, who rolled his eyes and stood up from his chair, taking hold of Jack's coffee cup and walking towards the door with it in hand.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked, fearing that Ianto had had enough.

"Grab your coat." Ianto told him, "We're going shopping!"

* * *

After inspecting the woman's injuries for a few minutes, Gwen spoke to Andy once more. She longed to be able to take the poor woman back to the hub for surveillance but Andy was having none of that, and only just agreed to let her come back the next day with the team, after she calmly but cleverly reminded him that it was a woman's life at risk.

Gwen felt guilty, though, as she drove away for she hadn't even thought to ask after the woman's name, and as she drove she worked to shrug off the feelings of how that would have been what the old Gwen would have done. But the old Gwen was no more, she had changed; for the better and for the worse.

That evening Gwen didn't bother checking back at the hub, it was gone seven and she didn't think she could cope if Ianto had been unsuccessful in cheering Jack up. So instead she headed home, smiling to herself over the normality of being stuck in traffic whilst thinking of her husband, waiting impatiently as the dinner grew cold.

Her thoughts though, soon returned to the woman currently lying in a hospital bed. She wondered if this woman had any family or friends she could contact… Yet as she arrived home Gwen cleared these thoughts once more, Rhys was ever supportive of her job, but she tried to talk about it as little as possible, preferring to keep her work life and home life as separate as possible. Mind you, Rhys knew better than any other that with Gwen around that was never going to happen. But Gwen was lucky for she knew that he wouldn't change it, or her, for the world.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Jack whistled to himself happily as he walked along the streets of Cardiff, wheeling beside him a huge, flashy bike.

"You don't think it's too much?" he asked, for the umpteenth time, turning to face Ianto who walked coolly behind him.

Ianto rolled his eyes and replied almost monotonously now, "No Jack, it's perfect."

Jack's face lit up like that of a child's, his excitement building as they approached his daughter's house. He stopped suddenly causing Ianto to almost fall over the now stationary bike.

"What if he hates it?" Jack cried, "What if he doesn't like bikes? Or what if he already has a better one?"

Ianto cried out in pain as Jack drove the bike backwards into his shin.

"We're going," Jack announced, frantically trying to turn the bike around in the other direction.

"No, no we're not!" Ianto replied, whilst clutching his leg and attempting to cling onto Jack's quick departing coat. "Number 42, right?"

Jack nodded and gulped nervously. Ianto had never seen him this nervous before and was quick to reassure him.

"Look!" He exclaimed, pointing towards the side of the house. Jack followed his gaze and then spotted an old rusty bike, lying against the fence, its chain slung over it carelessly.

"He would love a new bike," Ianto announced.

Jack nodded more confidently this time and wheeled the bike up the front path, placing it on the doorstep before he could change his mind.

Checking his note was still firmly attached to the bike's handlebars he rang the doorbell and progressed to darting down the driveway and hiding behind one of the neighbourhood cars, beside Ianto who was crouched behind a red Renault Megane, stopwatch in hand.

"What on earth are you doing with that?" Jack questioned, causing Ianto to blush vigorously.

"Force of habit," he explained, "When my sister and I were younger we used to play Knock Knock Ginger all the time, I used to time how long it took them to answer the door, or… how quickly we were caught."

"You have a sister?"

A pang of sadness spread through Jack as he realised; he wasn't the only one with secrets.

Fortunately for Ianto he didn't have to answer Jack's query as the door was answered at that moment and Jack's attention was quickly diverted away from him and towards the figures at the door.

Ianto watched, smiling, as the young blonde boy's eyes widened upon noticing the bike. He jumped for joy and hugged his mother who immediately grabbed the note from off the handlebars and read it precariously: Happy Birthday. I always remember, but I'll keep my word. J. X

* * *

Jack insisted on walking Ianto back to his house that evening, Ianto had done a lot for him and Jack knew he didn't deserve someone so loyal and caring, no matter how Ianto persisted otherwise. Jack saw that Ianto was shivering so stopped to wrap himself around him. The streets were empty and Jack was able to express his gratitude without having to look over his shoulder every few seconds.

"Thank you," he whispered in Ianto's ear, holding him closer and listening intently to the steady beat of Ianto's heart.

Ianto sighed, content, and kissed Jack's forehead tenderly, then grinned as Jack took a' hold of his chin and drew him in for a kiss. After a few seconds though, Ianto's grin faded as he spotted something lying a few feet away from them.

"Jack!" he gasped, pulling away from his lover and turning him to face the bundle in the streets. Jack swore and raced towards the figure; grabbing hold of it he turned it over and winced at what lay before him.

"What has happened to you, my poor friend?" He questioned, pulling the figure up against a car so as to see it more clearly in the light from a nearby lamppost. Jack and Ianto stared at the figure, a figure which they could just make out to be a weevil, for half of its flesh had been torn from it, its eyes were shrunken and bloodshot and it lay limp and defeated.

Together, Jack and Ianto heaved the weevil up from the ground and carried it along the dark and desolate street, towards Ianto's nearby house. This was not quite how Ianto Jones had wanted to spend the evening, and he was angry and upset that it had been ruined. But at the same time his heart went out to the poor weevil, however much he detested them. This was just cruel.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

That next day a similar routine happened at the house of the Williams', except this time Rhys got down on his knees and begged Gwen to stay. 'His puppy eyes just don't work like Jack's do', Gwen found herself thinking, guiltily shrugging that thought off her mind the minute she thought it. "I love you," she told Rhys, pulling him up off the floor and kissing him goodbye. He waved sadly as she ran out the front door, her breakfast half eaten; she clearly had something on her mind.

* * *

Gwen arrived at the hub early that morning. She sat herself down at her desk and began to infiltrate police records for the CCTV footage of the mugging that had taken place that previous day. As she worked her way through records, she heard the hub door winding open and watched as Jack and Ianto walked in through the door. Jack strode ahead, with Ianto following close behind. Upon noticing Gwen, Ianto waved up to her and left Jack's side to go and speak to her.

"Ia…" Gwen started, just as Ianto began speaking to her.

"Oh, sorry," Gwen apologised, "You go first."

"No, you go first." Ianto replied, pulling a face at Jack as he sniggered whilst walking past them.

"Do you remember Andy calling yesterday?" Gwen asked him.

"Vaguely."

"Well, I met him at the hospital. Turns out the night before last at approximately nine o'clock there was a mugging. Anyhow, I visited the victim last night on Andy's request, and I can tell you, what ever did this… wasn't human."

"Where did the attack take place?" Ianto questioned.

"Down Rushmore Street."

Ianto's eyes narrowed at the coincidence.

"That's funny," he commented. "Last night Jack and I found a weevil completely mauled by Rushmore."

"You don't think that's some kind of coincidence, do you?" Jack asked, listening in to their conversation, interested now.

"Can't be," Gwen replied. "The wounds on this girl weren't weevil inflicted at all. And anyway, that doesn't explain what happened to this weevil of yours."

"Good point," Ianto concurred, and the three of them stood in silence, mulling it over.

"Well," Gwen continued. "I've brought up the CCTV from the 29th October down Rushmore Street, from the police station. Andy did previously mention it wasn't much use, mind you."

"Brilliant," Jack smiled, and with Jack's approval, Gwen clicked play.

The streets were dark and cold, and both Jack and Ianto gasped as they noticed the familiar figures of themselves walking by, hand in hand, on camera.

"Caught on camera!" Gwen exclaimed. She grinned at the two embarrassed men, and then commented on how cute they were just to rub it in.

"That was the night we met Rachel, was it not?" Jack asked Ianto.

"Rosa," he corrected. "Yes, yes it was."

Gwen looked confused but spotting the look on Jack's face she decided not to question the turn in conversation, instead she turned back to the camera as the video suddenly lost all of its previously good quality. The screen became increasingly pixelated, and Gwen could just make out what appeared to be a struggle between two figures, and then the video went black. A few seconds later, the video regained focus and they watched as a young hooded figure ran past, a look of terror upon his face. All three looked at each other, completely bewildered.

* * *

After taking a look at Jack and Ianto's weevil, Gwen proposed for them all to take a visit to the hospital. Ianto agreed but Jack was slightly more reluctant.

"We don't all need to go," he argued. "I'd like to stay with our weevil friend, here." So Gwen and Ianto left Jack by the weevil's (or Anthony as Jack had named him) side and set off arm in arm towards the SUV.

Gwen had warned Ianto of the woman's condition, although upon arriving at the hospital she received a call from Andy telling her that the woman was now conscious. The police had yet to interview her and Andy asked Gwen politely not to ask her any questions, Gwen reassured him that she wouldn't whilst thinking of all the questions that she and Ianto were to ask… before the police.

The woman had been moved out of intensive care and a nurse had informed Gwen that she was beginning to recover, but her injuries still remained and the hospital had no idea how to treat them. The nurse had also reassured Gwen that the smell had faded, and everything about the woman was ordinary, apart from the fact that her injuries were still prominent.

"That's why I've brought Mr Jones with me today." Gwen told her, ignoring Ianto who snickered slightly at Gwen referring to him by his last name.

"I hope there is something you can do for Rosa, Mr Jones." The nurse said.

"…Rosa?" Ianto asked, the name seeming sickly familiar.

"Yes, Rosa Hunt. That's her name." The nurse replied, "Is there a problem?" She questioned, after seeing the slightly started look on Ianto's face.

Ianto shook himself: It was probably a different Rosa; after all, the name was common enough.

"Not at all," he assured her. "Just through here, right?" he asked, pointing towards the door on the left.

The nurse nodded and then watched as Ianto walked swiftly through the open door, Gwen on his heels.

"So that's Torchwood," the nurse commented, turning to face a young man, with a stethoscope hung around his neck.

"Strange bunch," the Doctor replied, staring intently at Gwen and Ianto as they strolled down the corridor.

The nurse nodded again, "Anyhow, you're wanted up in Ward Five, Doctor Pattinghali," she told him.

He took one last look at the disappearing man and woman, thanked the nurse and set off, little knowing that this wouldn't be the last he would see of Torchwood.

* * *

The woman lay on the first bed in the ward, tubes covered her. One thing that the Doctors did know is that she had lost a lot of blood. She was awake and her eyes were fixed on the door as Ianto and Gwen walked through it.

"Ianto!" She gasped, the minute the coffee boy turned to face her bed, her voice feeble and rasping.

His mouth fell open, as his eyes fixated on her and then the extent of her injuries.

"Rosa?" He questioned, as if perhaps this was someone else who happened to be informed of his name.

Ianto swore as he took in the extent of damage done to Rosa's body. She smiled feebly at him.

"It's okay," Rosa stuttered, "I…I'm getting better, and it's worse than it looks."

Ianto's smile was less convincing.

"So… you two know each other?" Gwen broke in, she had been quiet and observant until then, but was curious to find out what exactly was going on.

"Well, sort of," Ianto replied. "Kind of, we met the night…"

"The night I was attacked," Rosa filled in. "Coincidence!" she questioned, laughing at Ianto's obstinate, worried expression.

"I was joking!" She reassured him.

Ianto breathed out a sigh of relief.

"We met at the Blue Inn," Rosa continued, "Ianto was quite the gentleman!"

"Oh, he always is!" Gwen concurred. "Suits, handshakes… he's got the full package."

"I'm still here you know!" Ianto cried, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment as the two ladies discussed him.

Both Gwen and Rosa laughed, although Rosa's laugh soon turned into more of a hearty cough.

"Why are you here anyway, Ianto?" She asked, "You can't be visiting; you seem surprised to see me."

"Gwen and I specialise in… unexplained injuries." Ianto lied, "We've come here to take a look at you, see if there's anything we can do. Although no, I had no idea it was _**you**_."

Rosa nodded.

"Alright," she said. "Do what you must. I just hope I'll be cleared and healthy as soon as possible… I have work."

"Where do you work?" Ianto asked, getting out some of Torchwood's many instruments, including Owen's Singularity Scalpel, which got a weird look from Gwen: The last time she'd seen that her husband had been using it to destroy a baby nostrovite trapped inside of her.

"Costa," Rosa answered. "It's not great, but it pays my bills."

"Oh, I know," Ianto replied. "Before I joined Torchwood I used to work in Marks and Spencer."

"Torchwood?" Rosa questioned.

Ianto kicked himself for this slip of the tongue, and gritted his teeth, furious with himself. He hadn't wanted Rosa to know about Torchwood and he wasn't strictly supposed to mention it anyhow.

"I thought they were special ops?" Rosa commented.

"That's what everyone else thinks," Gwen told her, after whispering, "Don't worry," to Ianto.

"Gee, Torchwood!" Rosa exclaimed, looking very impressed. "You guys always seem so cool!"

Gwen laughed and Ianto smiled: This was going to be an… interesting morning.


End file.
